Steering-wheel heater.



W. P. BARTON.

STEERING WHEEL HEMER APPLICATION mu) AUGJJMS RENEWED IAN. a. ma.

Patented J mm 16', 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. BARTON, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

STEERING-WHEEL HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed August 2, 1916, Serial No. 112,849. Renewed January 8, 1918. Serial No. 210,945.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. BAR- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering- Wheel Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to heating elements, and has for its object to provide an flexible heating element in the form of a tape which may be wound on the steering wheel of road vehicles and other similar manually operated parts of machinery to provide warmth for the hands of the operator in extremely cold weather.

These objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several fi res and as described in the specification orming a part of this application and ointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings in which I have shown a substantial embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of the steering wheel of a road vehicle, parts cut away and parts in section, with my device in place thereon. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the steering wheel of a road vehicle with my device in place thereon. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the securing part f the device. Fig. 4 is a section of tl e fiolding cylinder showing the insulating members. Fig. 5 is a plan. view of the heating tape, arts shown in section: and parts 111 dotted ines. Fig. 6 is a diagrammaticflview showing the electrical con- 1 nections .when connected in multiple, and

Fig. 7 isle (diagrammatic view showing the electrical ednne'ctions in series.

During extremely cold weather the operation ofautomobiles' and other road VGlHOlGS is often. inconvenient and uncomfortable, even thou 'h the operator may protect his hands v-wi gloves; and my pur ose is to provide a-flexible tape that may e wound aroundior on the steering wheel and heated b an electric current whereby the hands of tlie operator may be warmed and without interfering with the operation of the automobile, an which ta and connections may be easily and quic ly detached when the (viveath r 'conditions are such that it is wot I provide a resistance element in the form of azwire 1 which is placed between sheets of asbestos, shown 7 at 2, which sheets are stitched together with longitudinal rows of stitches 3 and making out of the said wire and abestos a tape T. The refered form is shown in Fig. 5 wherein t e asbestos is in the form of a flattened tube 2 in which the wire 1 is inserted.

The wire 1 is in the form of a 100 and the flattened asbestos tubeis then stitched by longitudinal rows of stitches 3. As the ta e is subjected to constant wear I provide a thin and insulating paint with which the stitch tube is covered. Fastening clamps 4 are secured on the ends of the said tape T having holes therein through which screws are inserted to hold the tape in place. The free ends of the wire 1 are suitably covered with insulating material where desired, then are passed thro h the switch and connections A, and lead y the wires 6 to the source of electric energy, which is not shown. In order that the device may be readily fastened on and taken ofl of any steering wheel, and the electric circuit completed or broken without inconvenience to the operator, and without stopping the automobile or other road vehicle, I provide a cylinder A, havin an inwardly turned flange B at one end ant? the other end cut as an inwardly turned arc D. A disk of insulatin material G, which bears against the flange is carried in said cylinder A, and to which a common two point switch "S is fastened by tap screws passed through the holes 5. Externally threaded sleeves 7 are screwed in the wall of said cylinder A and perforated metal straps 8 are bolted throu b said sleeves 7 to said cylinder A. The said straps 8 are bent to partially encircle the casing C of the steerin wheel shaft F and their free ends are be teditogether by a bolt through one of the perforations in said straps 8. The other perforations 6 are in the attached end portion of each of said straps and are provided therein in order thattlie said cylinder A may be fastened on casings of difl'erent diameters, by using only enough of each of said straps together wit the arc sha ed cut D on the end of said cylinder as wi l tightly encircle said casing a The tap screws used in the holes 5 in said insulating disk G act as contact screws'by which the ends-of wire 1 are led to the contact posts in the said switch S, and said wires may be connected in multiple as shown in Fig. 6 or in series as shown in Fig. 7,

by using another contact screw 9 if such connection is desired. The make and break of the electric circuit is by means of the switch bridging the gap between the screws in the holes 5 and holes 10.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim A heating element for steering wheels consisting of a resistance Wire; an asbestos covering therefor, "which is given a tape form and held in place on said wire by rows of longitudinal stitches; fastening clamps on the ends of said asbestos covering; an electric switch electrically connected with said wire; a cylindrical casing; an insulating disk carried in said casing to which sa'd switch is fastened; perforated metal strips having one end of each secured to said casing; and means to fasten said strips around the steering wheel shaft adjacent said steering wheel.

n. testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature in presence of a witness.

WILLIAM P. BARTON. Witness:

SAM RANEY. 

